(a) The commission shall, annually until the master plan is adopted and thereafter at least every three years, receive, consider, and promptly act upon petitions from any interested party, to add, delete, or modify MPAs, favoring those petitions that are compatible with the goals and guidelines of this chapter. (b) Prior to the adoption of a new MPA or the modification of an existing MPA that would make inoperative a statute, the commission shall provide a copy of the proposed MPA to the Legislature for review by the Joint Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture or, if there is no such committee, to the appropriate policy committee in each house of the Legislature. (c) Nothing in this chapter restricts any existing authority of the department or the commission to make changes to improve the management or design of existing MPAs or designate new MPAs prior to the completion of the master plan. The commission may abbreviate the master plan process to account for equivalent activities that have taken place before enactment of this chapter, providing that those activities are consistent with this chapter.
